Reverse twist barbwire



H. A. NELSON REVERSE TWIST BARBWIRE Original Filed June 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 17606765072 HEN/er ,4. /VEL 50M 4 M ,5

Feb. 9, 1943.

H. A. NELSON REVERSE TWIST BARBWIRE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 16, 1939 v Patented Feb. 9, 1943 Divided and this application March 21, 1%), Serial No. 325,251

novel manner which constitutes an important 2 dilaims.

This invention relates to an improved type of barbwire and is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 279,545, filed June 16, 1939, which issued as Patent No. 2,254,238, September 2, 1941 The invention aims to provide barbwire comprising a plurality of twisted strands having portions reversely twisted, whereby the tendency of certain portions to turn is counteracted by other portions. Thus the new barbwire may be said to be balanced, due to the novel structural arrangement whereby predetermined twisted sections of wire tend to negative the twisting tendency of other predetermined sections.

The above and further features of the invention will be fully apparent from the following disclosure and the appended claims, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

or two prongs.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a length of finished barbwire made in accordance with my novel method of twisting together the strands shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the novel barbwire made according to my invention by twisting together the strands of Figure 2.

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, illustrate modifications.

Referring first toFigures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, in accordance with the novel method described in my prior application above identified I provide a plurality of elemental strands Ill and 82 to which are secured barbs us and I2. These barbs are secured to the strands by any conventional form of twisting iii characteristic of the method claimed in the aforesaid application and which results in the production of the improved product herein claimed.

The method disclosed in my prior application consists in twisting predetermined portions or sections of the strands in opposite directions so that the tendency of one predetermined portion of the twisted product is counteracted or negatived by the tendency of another predetermined portion of the twisted product to turn in the opposite direction. This results in the formation of what might be termed a balanced product; inasmuch as the tendency for certain portions of the barbwire to turn in one direction is balanced by the tendency of another portion to turn in a contrary direction, the two opposed tendencies thus balancing and resultingin the product which might be termed a balanced or dead lay" product. This reverse twist of difierent prede== termined lengths or wire will be apparent from head in much the same manner as barbs are secured in the manufacture of conventional types of barbwire. However, the spacing between the barbs w on the strand [0 and the barbs IE on the strand I2 is substantially uniform, with the barbs on one strand staggered with respect to the barbs on the other strand. Preferably, although not' necessarily, the barbs on one strand will be located about midway between those on the other strand.

After the respective barbs have been secured to the strands l0 and 12 in staggered relation, two predetermined lengths of the strands are subjected to twisting operations performed in a examination of Figure 3, wherein the middle section of the completed barbwire, as indicated by the predetermined length A, is so twisted that the strands have a right-hand lay, while the sections marked B and B! are so twisted that the strands have a left-hand lay.

Such reverse twisting of adjacent predetermined sections of barbwire may be readily accomplished by arranging the strands close together in substantially parallel relation and then gripping the parallel strands at spaced intervals, such as indicated at it and it in Figure 3, and applying reverse rotary motions to the respective gripping element employed.

For example, if the element gripping at the point It is rotated clockwise, as viewed from the right in Figure 3, and the element gripping at the point it is rotated counterclockwise, the predetermined section A will have imparted thereto the right-hand lay described, while the sections B and B will have left-hand lay imparted thereto, it being understood that the same procedure will be followed with many such predetermined lengths.

Such method of manufacture may be carried out by the utilization of any suitable mechanism capable of imparting the reverse twist to adjacent. predetermined lengths of the product. While in Figure 3 I have illustrated one barb centrally of each predetermined section of the 0 given twist or lay, it is apparent that more than one barb can be applied to each such predetermined length, or barbs could be omitted from certain predetermined lengths; also, the barbs could be located at the points I 4 and I6 where the grippers exert the twisting action.

In general, it is considered preferable to employ a plurality of strands, each carrying barbs arranged in staggered relation and to exert the respective twisting actions between barbs in opposite directions. By employing two separate strands, each with barbs arranged in staggered relation for a given length of longitudinal travel of the strands, the separate twisting heads which apply the barbs can be operated at the maximum high speed, and, because a separate twisting head is effective to apply barbs to each strand, it follows that a much faster rate of production can ,be maintained than would be the case if the barbs were applied to only one of the strands,

. as indicated in Figure 2.

It is also contemplated that the method may be practiced by using three or more parallelthe strands in section of a predetermined length will have a right-hand lay, and the lay or twist in the sections D and D will be lefthand.

In Figures to 8, inclusive, an alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Figure 5 shows two elemental strands of the product prior to twisting, both strands being provided with barbs of four prongs. As illustrated in Figure 6, which is a view similar to Figure 5, only one of the strands is provided with tour prongs. In Figure 7 is shown, in side elevation, a length of finished barbwire made in accordance with my novel method of twisting together strands shown in Figure 5. Figure 8 similarly illustrates the novel barbwire made in accordance with my invention by twisting together the strandsof Figure 6. Thus it is apparent that the same method described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, is applicable to produce barbwire with more than two prongs, for example, wir with four prongs, as

illustrated by Figures 5 to 8, inclusive.

While I have described definite relationships of the component parts of the two embodiments of the invention illustrated, it is to be understood that I am not limited thereto, and the drawings and detail description are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. Barbwire comprising a plurality of strands, some of which carry barbs, the strands being reversely twisted midway between adjacent barbs whereby the tendency of the barbs to turn relatively to one another is negatived by the reversely twisted portions.

2. Barbwire comprising a pair of intertwisted strands having respective barbs attached thereto in staggered relation, the strands being reversely twisted midway between adjacent barbs whereby the tendency of the barbs to turn relatively to one another is negatived by the reversely twisted 

